Preliminary Evidence of a Horizontal Transfer of Paramutation Phenomenon at the <i>pl1</i> Gene in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.)
Paramutation, a specific epigenetic phenomenon first identified in <i>Zea mays</i> by Alexander Brink in the 1950s, has since been observed in different plant and animal species. What sets paramutation apart from other gene silencing processes is its ability for one silenced allele (refe...
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2024-12-01
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| author | Roberto Pilu Martina Ghidoli Alessia Follador Alessandro Passera Paola Casati Ervane Laure Cheyep Dinzeu Elena Cassani Michela Landoni |
| author_facet | Roberto Pilu Martina Ghidoli Alessia Follador Alessandro Passera Paola Casati Ervane Laure Cheyep Dinzeu Elena Cassani Michela Landoni |
| author_sort | Roberto Pilu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Paramutation, a specific epigenetic phenomenon first identified in <i>Zea mays</i> by Alexander Brink in the 1950s, has since been observed in different plant and animal species. What sets paramutation apart from other gene silencing processes is its ability for one silenced allele (referred to as paramutagenic) to silence another allele (paramutable) in trans. The resultant silenced allele (paramutated) remains stable across generations, even after separating from the paramutagenic allele, and acquires paramutagenic properties itself. This hereditary behavior facilitates the rapid dissemination of specific gene expression patterns or phenotypes within populations, disrupting the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium even without other evolutionary pressures. Despite extensive research, the molecular mechanisms underlying paramutation are still not fully understood, although numerous studies suggest the involvement of RNA-mediated changes in DNA methylation and in the chromatin structure of silenced genes. In this paper, we report preliminary evidence regarding horizontal paramutation transfer at the <i>pl1</i> (<i>purple plant1</i>) regulatory gene involved in the accumulation of anthocyanin in several plant tissues such as tassel, kernel, and cob. A paramutated <i>pl1′</i> allele arose spontaneously in a <i>pl1</i> population, and in this study, we found evidence of silencing events spatially associated in the field, suggesting a possible horizontal transfer of silencing among nearby plants. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-6acd66b891b3442bab0329731ec482992025-01-10T13:19:29ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472024-12-011411110.3390/plants14010011Preliminary Evidence of a Horizontal Transfer of Paramutation Phenomenon at the <i>pl1</i> Gene in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.)Roberto Pilu0Martina Ghidoli1Alessia Follador2Alessandro Passera3Paola Casati4Ervane Laure Cheyep Dinzeu5Elena Cassani6Michela Landoni7Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—Production, Landscape and Agroenergy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—Production, Landscape and Agroenergy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—Production, Landscape and Agroenergy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—Production, Landscape and Agroenergy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—Production, Landscape and Agroenergy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—Production, Landscape and Agroenergy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—Production, Landscape and Agroenergy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, ItalyParamutation, a specific epigenetic phenomenon first identified in <i>Zea mays</i> by Alexander Brink in the 1950s, has since been observed in different plant and animal species. What sets paramutation apart from other gene silencing processes is its ability for one silenced allele (referred to as paramutagenic) to silence another allele (paramutable) in trans. The resultant silenced allele (paramutated) remains stable across generations, even after separating from the paramutagenic allele, and acquires paramutagenic properties itself. This hereditary behavior facilitates the rapid dissemination of specific gene expression patterns or phenotypes within populations, disrupting the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium even without other evolutionary pressures. Despite extensive research, the molecular mechanisms underlying paramutation are still not fully understood, although numerous studies suggest the involvement of RNA-mediated changes in DNA methylation and in the chromatin structure of silenced genes. In this paper, we report preliminary evidence regarding horizontal paramutation transfer at the <i>pl1</i> (<i>purple plant1</i>) regulatory gene involved in the accumulation of anthocyanin in several plant tissues such as tassel, kernel, and cob. A paramutated <i>pl1′</i> allele arose spontaneously in a <i>pl1</i> population, and in this study, we found evidence of silencing events spatially associated in the field, suggesting a possible horizontal transfer of silencing among nearby plants.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/1/11paramutationsilencinghorizontal transferanthocyanin<i>pl1</i><i>purple plant1</i> |
| spellingShingle | Roberto Pilu Martina Ghidoli Alessia Follador Alessandro Passera Paola Casati Ervane Laure Cheyep Dinzeu Elena Cassani Michela Landoni Preliminary Evidence of a Horizontal Transfer of Paramutation Phenomenon at the <i>pl1</i> Gene in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) Plants paramutation silencing horizontal transfer anthocyanin <i>pl1</i> <i>purple plant1</i> |
| title | Preliminary Evidence of a Horizontal Transfer of Paramutation Phenomenon at the <i>pl1</i> Gene in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) |
| title_full | Preliminary Evidence of a Horizontal Transfer of Paramutation Phenomenon at the <i>pl1</i> Gene in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) |
| title_fullStr | Preliminary Evidence of a Horizontal Transfer of Paramutation Phenomenon at the <i>pl1</i> Gene in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preliminary Evidence of a Horizontal Transfer of Paramutation Phenomenon at the <i>pl1</i> Gene in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) |
| title_short | Preliminary Evidence of a Horizontal Transfer of Paramutation Phenomenon at the <i>pl1</i> Gene in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) |
| title_sort | preliminary evidence of a horizontal transfer of paramutation phenomenon at the i pl1 i gene in maize i zea mays i l |
| topic | paramutation silencing horizontal transfer anthocyanin <i>pl1</i> <i>purple plant1</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/1/11 |
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